Monsoon started casting dark shadow on northern West Bengal

Northern West Bengal, despite les than long term average volume of rainfall, has gone under large scale flooding and inundation. Large scale reduction in water retaining capacity of rivers due to heavy siltation is the main cause- feel the experts.

SILIGURI: Northern West Bengal, despite les than long term average volume of rainfall, has gone under large scale flooding and inundation. Large scale reduction in water retaining capacity of rivers due to heavy siltation is the main cause- feel the experts.

Though statistically it is still deficient against long term average, the monsoon rainfall has already put vast areas under inundation or flood in Sub Himalayan West Bengal, one of the worst flood victim areas of the country putting agro based economy of the region under threat. But beside area specific short term initiatives, there is no concrete long term management plan to negotiate this.

Many of the important glacier fed rivers flowing down from Eastern Himalayan regions via this region have already been put under red alert. Over 3 lakh people have become water logged in inundated areas. To add to this worry, fresh and heavy downpour has been predicted for next 48 hours by meteorological department.

As a whole, "Situation is serious," said Mr. G. De, Chairman North Bengal flood Control Commission.

Interestingly, "Rainfall of this monsoon in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim is still less than its normal figure. Against long term average of 616mm for the period of 1st June to 3rd July, it has been recorded as 575mm, 7% less than the average, during this period this year. Even including heavy downpour of last couple of days, it is well within the normal range," said Dr. G. N. Raha, Senior Meteorologist of Indian Meteorological Department.

"The most important cause of this flooding and inundation in this region is not heavy rainfall but significantly hampered water retaining capacity of the rivers due to heavy siltation. At many places, level of river beds are rising for as high as 25cm per year in these foothills region. This is alarming," said veteran Geologist from North Bengal University Dr. S Sarkar. "It needs a long term planning and judicious implementation of that," he added.

While hosting large portion of West Bengal's 37,000 sq km flood prone area, north Bengal contributes high in the national loss due to flood. West Bengal had estimated flood loss of around Rs 15,000 Crore along with loss of more than 8,700 human lives and over 6 lakh livestock during last 50 years.

As a matter of fact, none of the major water taming projects in West Bengal like Teesta (Estimated project cost of around Rs 3000 crore), Kangsabati (Over Rs 300 crore), Subarnarekha (Near Rs 4050 crore), Damodar irrigation project, or Ganga Action Plan could minimize flood loss of the state so far.